


Rose

by RatsMagnumDong



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Romance, F/M, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Original Male Character(s) - Freeform, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, bear with me folks it'll be confusing at first but i promise it'll make sense in the end, could be seen as a reader insert if you squint hard enough, i had this really cute idea and now im trying to execute it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:21:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25976614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RatsMagnumDong/pseuds/RatsMagnumDong
Summary: A woman shows up at Hogwarts and Severus doesn’t quite believe she is who she says she is.
Relationships: Severus Snape/Original Female Character(s), Severus Snape/Reader
Comments: 12
Kudos: 77





	1. rose

The sound of Albus’ joyous laughter bounced off the walls of the walls of the narrow staircase. “Oh, I think you’ll fit right in here, Miss Eiders,” Albus praised with delight in his tone. 

“I’m happy to have the opportunity to do my studies here, Headmaster,” a sweet, feminine laugh was heard, “-thank you, truly, for having me.”

As soon as Severus rounded the corner, Albus met eyes with him. The other occupant in the room, a young woman, turned her body in her seat and also connected eyes with him. A brief look of recognition flashed in her eyes before the tiniest of smiles grew on her lips.

Severus, who had never seen this woman in his life, only gave a temporary glance of acknowledgement to her. Eyes flicking over to Albus, he scowled.

“You called for me, Headmaster?” 

He couldn’t help the slight annoyance in his tone; after all, he was in the middle of grading essays when a insistent, pesky owl had flew into his classroom with a note from the headmaster and _just wouldn’t leave him **alone** -_

“I was hoping you’d be available to show Miss Eiders around the castle,” he smiled at Severus. “She’ll be working with us for a month or so and I wouldn’t want her getting lost.”

He _would_ have said, “ _I’m not your errand boy, have somebody else do it_ -“, but he decided against it that was unnecessarily hostile. Instead, being ever the gentleman he was, he said, “Why couldn’t you have asked Minerva?”

Albus gave him a pointed look from beneath his glasses. He opened his mouth to scold him for being so rude, but the young woman raised her hand and stopped him. “Uh,” she gave an awkward smile, “it’s perfectly fine Headmaster, I assure you I can find my way ‘round with no issue.” She stood up from her seat and brushed the non existent dust off the front of her pants.

For a man in his thirties, he did act like a child at times. He _supposed_ he could grade papers later. It would cut into the hours he usually slept, but he already knew he’d be the one to deal with her when she got lost in the future. Severus let out a deep sigh and turned on his heel towards the exit. “This way, Miss Eiders,” he muttered, motioning with his hand for her to follow. 

A thankful smile on her face, relief filled her. She _most definitely_ would have gotten lost on her own.

Before she could even thank him, he was already off down the stairs. The long strides Severus took made us considerably harder to keep up with him. She had to do an awkward half-jog to get by his side.

“I’m Rose, by the way,” she spoke up, looking up at him as they walked. No shame whatsoever, she inspected the face of the other. Shoulder length black hair with a certain shine to it, hooked nose, dark bags underneath his eyes, wrinkles that had formed from stress… He truly was a character, she thought to herself.

Feeling her eyes on him, Severus glanced over with a scowl. He found her staring right at him. It made him uncomfortable how bright her eyes looked.

_Stop staring at me._

“Severus,” he turned his gaze forward once more, “...you may call me Professor Snape if you please.” He turned a corner and began to show her the general places she needed to know; The Great Hall, lavatories, certain classrooms, etc.

All the while, Rose was in awe at how truly enormous the castle was. She knew it was big- but christ, it was like a maze! Floating staircases, hidden passageways, _so many stairs_ … How did students find their way around? How the _hell_ did they get to class without being late?

An hour or so passing, they were nearing the end of the tour. The last place Severus needed to show her was her temporary room that she would be staying in while she was here. He noticed that throughout the tour of the castle, Rose had bore a small, black journal in her small hands and wrote into it occasionally. Assuming that she was merely making notes on where each place for future reference, he didn’t think too much of it. _But_ that didn’t stop him from feeling apprehensive about it. 

“If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly _are_ you doing here?” 

Rose looked at him and blinked almost owlishly. He had practically been quiet this entire tour, only giving short explanations and answers. She shut the journal in her hands with a quiet **snap** and tucked it in her back pocket. He had given her a brief glance over to her and she realized he was waiting for an answer. “Uh, I’m actually doing a study on life at Hogwarts.”

Hearing this, Severus made a noise that sounded a lot like a condescending scoff. “Are you going to write a book too?” He was making a joke, of course. Who the in the right mind would be interested in-

“Actually, more so of an article,” she answered in a matter-of-fact tone, ignoring the sardonic tone he held. She actually seemed unbothered by his grumpy nature despite others who instantly were put off from it. 

This time, he actually did laugh- well, it was more like an amused snort. “Miss Eiders, pray tell, who would be interested in _life at Hogwarts_?” He had stopped walking when they got to a wooden door, hands firmly behind his back. 

She laughed very suddenly at his remark. She had stopped walking as well, arms crossed against her chest. She stared up at him (she had to be at least a foot shorter than him) with a challenging look, a rather toothy grin plastered on her face. 

Severus noticed her bottom teeth were slightly uneven. He chided himself internally for noticing such a miniscule detail. 

“If people _actually_ read that garbage Gilderoy Lockhart produces,” she laughed again, but this time it sounded bitter, “I’m sure I can find somebody to read my work.”

At the mention of Lockhart, Severus rolled his eyes. He _would_ have complained and made some sort of clever insult about the fool of a man, but he thought that was far from professional for somebody he had barely met. He settled with a simple, “You’re aware that he’s a professor here?”

“Is that so?” She did not sound interested at all. “Must be a pain.”

The silence and faintest upturn of the edge of his lips from the man was all the confirmation she needed. He turned his body to the door and grasped the knob, pushing it open. “This is the room you’ll be staying in,” he moved to the side and let her walk through, “... is there anything else you need before I leave?”

A brief glance around the room, she shook her head. “Nope! Nothing at all,” she said cheerfully. “Thank you for giving me a tour around the castle Severus, I really appreciate it.” It felt... nice to be on a first name basis with him.

Not much used to kindness these days nor even knowing how to _deal with kindness_ , Severus did what he did best. The deep frown settling back on his face, he nodded firmly to her. “I’ll be seeing you, Miss Eiders.”

Always for the formalities with him. 

That stupid toothy grin was back on her face. Eyes bright as ever. “Goodbye, Severus!”

And then the door shut. 

Rose let out the deep breath- which was very relieving by the way- and dropped her bag onto the floor with no fear that the contents inside would break. “Oh my _god_ ,” she instantly fell back into the bed in the middle of the room, “this is going to be absolutely exhausting.”

A moment passed before she fished the journal out of her back pocket, flipping through its pages. “Oh, where is it… oh!” A page with a list of names. Squinting her eyes slightly and skimming through the list, searching for a particular… 

“Aha! Found ya!”

A gleeful smile on her face, she wrote a check mark right beside the name _Severus T. Snape_.


	2. buttersworth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus has a gut feeling that something isn’t right. He has tea with Narcissa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry for the lockhart slander skksjsks but anyways! i forgot to mention this takes place in chamber of secrets! enjoy the chapter!

_Oh my god, where do I sit? Is there assigned seating? What if I accidentally sit in somebody’s spot? Am I even allowed to sit with the teachers? What if they make me sit with the students- oh god, I should just skip breakfast- oh but I’m so hungry-_

“Oh come here dear, you can come sit yourself right next to me,” the elderly woman cooed, patting the seat next to her. The poor girl looked so lost standing there, Minerva _had_ to say something. 

Rose looked over to the older woman in dark green robes like a lost child. She didn’t recognize her. She must have not been on her list. She quickly made her way to her and slid herself into the seat besides her.

Right on time too. Lockhart had just entered the room and man, he looked far too chipper at this hour. With a beaming smile, he practically bounced his way to the high table and sat himself in the last open seat, which was right next to-

_Oh my._

“Good morning Severus!” Lockhart greeted enthusiastically, slapping a hand on his shoulder as he slid himself in the seat to the right of him.

The vein upon Severus’ head looked like it was going to pop. Stiff as a board, he cast a withering glare to the daring hand touching him, then locking eyes with the owner. If looks could kill… well… Lockhart would have been six feet under. The blonde man took the message with somewhat fear in his eyes and backed off, mumbling something along the lines of, “... _must have woken up on the wrong side_ …”

“Unlucky bastard,” the older witch snickered into her mug. 

Rose wasn’t entirely sure if she was referring to Severus or Lockhart.

She cleared her throat quietly to catch her attention. “... Excuse me, I haven’t quite caught your name,” she said softly.

“Oh dear, my apologies,” she set her mug down and lifted her aged hand to shake, “I’m Professor McGonagall, call me Minerva if you like, I teach Transfigurations here.” Although her smile was sweet, Rose had an itching feeling that maybe she shouldn’t get on her bad side.

 _She’d have to look her name up later._

Rose shook her hand firmly and _boom_ , that toothy grin reappeared once more. “Rose,” she introduced herself, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” There was a brief moment in which her eyes flickered over to Severus two seats down- only to find the professor pushing his breakfast around on his plate with a fork like a picky child. After learning about their mutual dislike for Lockhart, Rose would dare say she’s grown a liking to the man.

“As to you,” a polite, thin smile on Minerva’s lips, “I hear you’re writing an article about Hogwarts?” She was clearly trying to make small talk. 

_But she was absolutely starving._

“Oh, uh, yes, yes I am,” she picked up her fork and shoveled a piece of egg into her mouth. _Oh, that tastes like heaven…_ She’d have to meet the wonderful chefs of the castle one day. She went to take another bite, but Minerva began speaking again.

“You know, I didn’t quite believe the Headmaster when he told me somebody was interested in writing an article about the school,” she stated. A positive article at least. There had been so many instances in which many tried to slander the school. They sort of needed the positive publicity ever since the whole Quirrel-Carrying-Voldemort-On-The-Back-Of-His-Head-Incident last year. 

“Hmh,” she swallowed the food in her mouth, “uh, yeah, I want to focus more on the children. I would like to see their perspective on the school.” Rose had to admit, she was good at pulling stuff out of her ass. 

“Oh that’s wonderful to hear! Who’s your publisher? I’d love to read the article when you finish!”

_oh shit_

_think think think think think think think think think think think think think think think think think think think think think-_

~

Severus has **not** been paying attention to much around him. He had practically been zoned out since the moment he sat down, the only thing bringing him out of his own thoughts was the offending hand on his shoulder. The hand was connected to a _far too happy at this hour_ Gilderoy Lockhart. 

It was very obvious Severus was not a morning person. Well, he was a grouchy son of a bitch all the time, but particularly in the mornings? It was common knowledge to the staff to _not talk to Severus in the mornings or he would most likely bite your head off_. Lockhart, newest of the staff, still didn’t seem to understand the memo.

Though, what did get his attention was the conversation happening on the other side of him. 

“Oh leave the poor girl alone Minerva! She’s trying to eat!” Pomona had piped into the conversation. “She’s practically skin and bones, she needs to eat something!”

“Skin and bones?” Rose looked down at her body momentarily.

“I just want to know who her publisher is, Pomona,” Minerva huffed, “don’t you want to read the article when it’s finished?”

“Well, if you keep pestering her, she won’t tell-“

Severus could care less about the old witches’ banter. This happened quite often- the two going back and forth about god knows what. More focused on the young woman between them, he noticed she looked rather flustered from the unexpected attention. Eyes flicking to multiple places in the room nervously, a look of realization flashed in her eyes before she blurted out a sudden:

“Buttersworth!”

They stopped bantering. They both looked at her questioningly.

“I-It’s the company I work for… Buttersworth Publishing,” Rose clarified. She quickly lifted her mug to her mouth and drank, wanting to avoid more conversation about her life.

_Buttersworth Publishing… It sounds like she pulled that name out her ass._

Her eyes suddenly connected to Severus- who had the decency to look the tiniest bit embarrassed for having been caught staring. Rose herself looked like she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t have been doing. With flushed cheeks, she quickly cast her gaze down to her barely eaten plate. 

Whether it be his natural instincts or paranoia of having lived a life full of lies and deceit, it didn’t matter- the alarms were going off in Severus’ head. A tiny voice screaming at him that something was off.

_Rose Eiders was not telling the truth._

~

“Do you know a company with the name of Buttersworth Publishing?” 

Narcissa didn’t even look up from the newspaper in her hands. “Buttersworth? What a childish name,” a supercilious laugh left her, a smirk playing on her lips.

A little annoyed tsk came out of Severus’ mouth. “I’m being serious Narcissa,” he grumbled, looking down into the teacup he was nursing.

The woman opposite of him sighed, finally tearing her eyes away from her paper to look up at him. “I don’t recall the name, no,” she answered. She examined him for a second before adding, “Why do you need to know?”

He continued to stare into his tea, weighing the outcomes on whether it was okay to tell her the truth. He always had to be so _careful_. He never knew if his actions or words would bite him in the ass in the future. As much as he wanted to trust Narcissa, he just… _couldn’t_. 

“A woman I met,” he finally answered.

Eyebrows shooting up in surprise, she folded her newspaper up and set it aside. “ _A woman?_ ” She shot him a cheeky grin, all attention now on him.

Severus quickly looked up with slightly widened eyes. “Not like that!” He hissed, glaring at her. He probably could have worded it better.

“And what is it like, my dear Severus?” She smiled knowingly, reaching over and grabbing a hold of her own teacup. “What’s this woman’s name?” The teasing didn’t leave her tone as she sipped her tea. 

He let out a deep sigh. “Her surname is Eiders, she claims to be some sort of reporter writing an article about _Hogwarts_ ,” he stated, the disdain clear in his tone. He still couldn’t quite fathom that anybody would ever be that fascinated enough in the bloody school to write about it. He raised his hand to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose, “I don’t believe she’s who she says she is.” 

Confusion overtook Narcissa’s features. “... you think she works for…?” She couldn’t possibly work for the Dark Lord, they would have known… _right_?

The frown on Severus’ face only grew deeper and serious. 

“I think you may be overreacting, Severus,” she laughed nervously, wringing her hands together on her lap. The sudden topic change to the Dark Lord obviously made her fidgety. “She may just be some vulture reporter looking for an inside scoop on Hogwarts next scandal, considering a student nearly dies every year- _Merlin_ , I can’t believe I let Draco-“

A pointed stare from Severus made her shut her mouth. She was nervous babbling, she always did when it came to her son. 

“Maybe,” was all he said.

Could she be a follower of the Dark Lord? She didn’t seem to be the type… but then again, there were a shocking amount of unexpected individuals that were supporters of the Dark Lord. Not to mention, when they first met, it had seemed like she _recognized_ him. He had never seen her in his life and he was certain of it, Severus was a man who remembered faces. Every time he saw her, she was wearing a sweater so he couldn’t even see if she bore the mark… but then again, only a fool would flaunt their mark so openly.

… maybe she was just a normal reporter writing an article and he was being paranoid.

_But why would she lie about where she works?_

_What was her goal?_

_What was she hoping to achieve?_

_Why is she so **suspicious**?_

He shut his eyes for a moment and rubbed his temples with his fingers. All this thinking and speculations were causing a migraine to form. His head was absolutely _**pounding**_. All he wanted was to climb into his bed and let sleep take him. 

“Do you mind asking Lucius whether he’s heard of the company?... I think I’ll be taking my leave,” he said quietly, setting his teacup down and standing up. 

“Of course-“

Severus had already apparated off before she could finish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i like to think severus and narcissa have tea often. i would dare say they’re friends ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	3. infuriating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus deals with internal feelings and discovers some new things about Rose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi i would like to say i have a tumblr (same handle as this one) ●ᴥ● im just a thirsty bastard over there so feel free to follow

Three days. 

It’s been three days since the tea session at Malfoy Manor. Since then, Narcissa had sent an owl to Severus claiming that Lucius had no recollection of a company with the name of Buttersworth Publishing. (He too said it sounded like a child named it.) She was also kind enough to add that they knew no such family with the surname of Eiders. 

And although he did his best to not rely on Lucius- the man was _obsessed_ with blood status. He knew wizarding families and their status like the back of his hand. He would have known about her family. About her status, history, family members, _everything_. 

And yet, he knew nothing of an Eiders family.

Could a false name possibly be in the equation?

But Dumbledore had welcomed her without much of a bat of an eye. That must mean something, right? That he trusted her? He wouldn’t just let anybody in the castle so easily… _right_?

_Could she be possibly fooling him as well?_

And there’s the part where the company she claims she works for _doesn’t even exist._

God, this gave him a headache. He just had to do everything around here, didn’t he? He had to protect the Potter boy **_and_** keep an eye on the suspicious ‘journalist’? He didn’t get paid enough-

“Lockhart, I’ve told you _multiple times_ , I’ll come to you when I need you,” a voice said with an edge, irritation clear as ever. 

“Nonsense! The sooner, the better,” the other responded, not much phased at the clip in her tone. “How about we discuss it over dinner?”

Rounding the corner, Severus finally saw who the voices belonged to. Rose had her face buried in that journal and scratching away, doing her best to ignore the pestering professor who followed besides her. “Absolutely not! You can’t just bribe me with dinner, Gilderoy!”

Lockhart seemed pleased at the use of his first name. He placed his hand on the journal to block her from writing. “But it’d be beneficial to your article! You’ll have far more readers if I’m mentioned,” he tried to explain, but he really only seemed to be digging himself a bigger hole. 

She gave him an incredulous look for _even having the audacity to touch her journal_. “Well, how dare-!”

As amusing it was to watch the two argue, he knew he had to step in. Stepping out of the shadows of the corridor, he said with an accusatory tone, “Professor Lockhart, I would dare say you are implying Miss Eiders isn’t capable of gaining readers on her own.”

It wasn’t something new- the staff teasing and messing around with Lockhart. They all knew how much of a bumbling fool he was, how he claimed to go on these wonderful adventures, but the man could barely cast a spell without fucking _something_ up. They enjoyed watching the man squirm uncomfortably when they called him out on his false words. 

The blonde man nearly jumped out of his skin upon hearing the deep voice behind him. “P-Professor Snape! Fancy seeing you here,” he practically squeaked out, whirling around to face him. “I-I was just discussing with Miss Eiders on how beneficial-“

“I heard,” he interrupted. “Are you questioning her abilities?” Severus pressed on, raising an eyebrow. 

As Rose watched the two, she finally understood why the students feared the Potion’s Master so much. He definitely had a skill of intimidating others. Even now, despite being the same height as Lockhart, he somehow managed to stand in a way that made him look taller. 

Rose wasn’t sure if it was his deep voice, or his demanding tone, or his daunting stare, or _whatever_. He was a _captivating_ sight and she simply did not want to look away. 

“N-Not at all- I think she’s perfectly capable-,” Lockhart ran his fingers through his locks and chuckled nervously, “Well, if you look at the time! My class will be starting soon, I _must_ be on my way.” He began to step away. 

Only when he flashed his pearly white teeth is when Rose finally tore her eyes away from the dark haired man beside her. Lockhart, holding the tiniest bit of courage still, connected eyes with her and said, “I look forward to speaking to you soon about your article.”

And with that, he was off down the corridor. 

Rose let out a quiet huff, watching his descending figure down the hall. “The absolute _audacity_ of that man. Christ, he’s so full of himself- thinking that going to dinner with him is some form of bribery,” she complained, crossing her arms.

Severus listened to her vent, taking this time to study her. Needless to say, she looked exhausted. As if the dark bags under her eyes weren’t telltale signs. She was practically radiating stress at this point. Lockhart being so bothersome probably didn’t help her mood.

“-not going to throw myself at his feet like other women! To think I’d even be interested- _oh_ , and not to mention he’s constantly interrupting my work!”

Severus cocked his head slightly, looking at her curiously. “And how _is_ your work going, Miss Eiders?” 

She had gotten so caught up with her complaining about Lockhart that she had briefly forgotten he was standing next to her. A frustrated look crossed her face momentarily before she dropped her arms in defeat and sighed heavily. “ _Wonderful_ ,” she replied bitterly, barely able to meet his gaze. 

Her cheerful mood from the previous times he has seen her seemed to vanish completely. That toothy smile no longer shown, she sported a disgruntled frown. The venomous clip in her tone when she spoke reminded him much of himself if he were to be completely honest.

The sudden change in her demeanor made Severus feel some sort of… _compassion_. He definitely understood the feelings she bore, although he was unsure what the root of the problem was. A part of Severus wanted to offer her assistance. To provide her with a calming draught from his storage. To ask what's causing her sour mood. To lend his listening ear to her problems. To ask if she was _okay_. 

But he didn’t. 

He had to remind himself that this woman was not who she said she was. 

He will **_not_** feel sympathy for- for…

A usual frown deepened even more, knitting his eyebrows and staring down at her. Without another word, he turned around abruptly and walked off, cape billowing behind him dramatically.

~

Why was she **_everywhere?_**

_Everywhere he looked, she was there!_

Every corner of the castle he turned, there she was! Talking to a student with that **_stupid_** , sweet smile. With that **_stupid_** journal that she never put down in her hand. And worst of all was the way the students _happily_ conversed back to her. How she high fived students like she were their _friends_. How she _patted_ them on the back when they laughed at some stupid joke. How she _hugged_ them farewell when she said she had to go. 

It was _infuriating_ to watch. 

Merlin knows what the hell they were saying. Severus was never close enough to hear. And he was horrible at reading lips. (Strange, considering he _was_ a double agent and all…)

It was now supper time in the Great Hall. Winding down from a tiring day of classes, the students weren’t too rowdy as they usually were. The entire room was just filled with casual chatter amongst themselves. The energy was comfortable to say the least. 

Maybe not for Severus though. Jaw clenched, it felt like he was going to pop a blood vessel watching the scene afar from him. 

Rose sat below at the Hufflepuff table talking to a small group of students- he couldn’t remember their names at the moment. She sat there with a charming smile, _that goddamned journal in hand_ , conversing casually with the bunch. The young Hufflepuffs clearly found whatever Rose said amusing because they all laughed.

Merlin, he _really_ wished he could read lips right now. 

At least she seemed in a better mood than last he saw her. How long ago was that? A day and a half ago? Either way, the bags under her eyes weren’t so prominent as before. She didn’t seem like she was carrying the whole weight of the world on her shoulders. 

… And worst of all, that **_stupid_** , toothy smile was back on her face.

An unknown feeling bubbled up inside him and he quickly passed it off as irritation. Right. Yes. That’s what it was. He found that smile _infuriating_. 

He cast his gaze elsewhere- down to his barely touched plate. He wasn’t much for eating in public like this. If it were up to him, he would gladly take his dinner to his own quarters, but Albus had stated it was mandatory. Something about the staff being like a _family_ , some positive bullshit he always spouted that made Severus feel _sick_. 

He huffed quietly to himself, deciding he had far more important things to do rather than sulk. Climbing out of his thoughts, he lifted his gaze back up at Rose. To his alarm, she was already staring at him with the tiniest evidence of a smile on her lips. Almost like an unspoken challenge, neither tore their eyes away. 

(Stubborn bastards, the both of them.)

Then, an idea. 

A voice in the back of Severus’ mind pestered at him, but he tried to swat it away quickly. He would _never_ delve into people’s minds without permission. It was wrong- an invasion of privacy. It’d be like breaking into somebody’s home and going through their belongings. He didn’t even have solid proof that she had any malice intent, it was all gut feelings!

_But he was never wrong when it came to gut feelings._

_It’s just a peak. It’s not like he was looking deep into her mind._

_But what if she was innocent and he looked through her thoughts like a disgusting, rotten person- this was wrong. Very wrong. He was an awful person. Absolutely awful. Terrible. Despicable. Wretched. How pathetic-_

He did it. He looked into her mind. 

Or at least tried to.

He couldn’t read her mind.

_He couldn’t read her mind._

Her mind was completely shielded from him. 

He tried again, but nothing. 

And if Severus couldn’t become even more enraged, Rose cocked her head and gave him that **_stupid_** , sweet smile. 

He stood abruptly, nearly knocking his chair over. He was practically fuming at this point. Casting one last withering glare at Rose, he stormed out of the Great Hall through the side door. 

One thing he knew for sure now.

Rose Eiders was no journalist. Not with that level of skill in Occlumency.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (⊙‿⊙✿) things will get juicy soon i promise


	4. tension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus doesn't believe Severus. He takes matters into his own hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can yall tell i really dont like dumbledore

“I have absolutely no clue what you’re talking about,” Albus hummed, leaning back in his seat.

“ _The journalist!_ ” 

“And what about her?” 

“She’s _lying_!” Severus paced back and forth the middle of the room, arms crossed against his chest. 

“I’m not following,” he said, unphased and looking far too content for Severus’ liking. In the process of his ranting, he had begun eating the butterscotch candies he stashed in his desk drawer. 

Severus sighed heavily, running his fingers through his dark locks. Why wouldn’t the old man just **_listen_** to him for once? “... I have _strong_ reasons to believe that Miss Eiders is not who she says she is,” he replied, eyes cast downwards to the floor. 

“Have a seat my boy, pacing will do you no good.” Albus said, rummaging through his desk once more. “Do you have any evidence proving this or is it just a _hunch_?” 

Severus stopped pacing, but didn’t sit down. He looked vaguely disgusted for a moment when Albus offered him a piece of candy, shaking his head and raising his hand to decline. 

“At first it was a hunch,” he grumbled, hands behind his back so Albus didn’t see his fidgeting fingers, “... but I discovered that the company she claims to work for _does not exist_ … And to add, there is no wizarding family with the surname of Eiders.”

“Have you taken into account that Miss Eiders may not be a witch in the first place?”

Silence.

_Not a witch?_

He… didn’t think of that.

… Come to think of it, Severus didn’t recall any moment where Rose held a wand. He didn’t recall any moment where she used magic. Was she really not a witch?... It would certainly explain why Lucius knew nothing about her family.

That only raised the question of what _was_ she if she wasn’t a witch.

“That still doesn’t explain why she lied about where she works. Is she even here to write an article?” Severus countered, still in somewhat denial. 

A thoughtful look crossed Albus’ face for a moment before finally answering, “If you think Miss Eiders has ill intentions, I can assure you she does _not_.” 

_That didn’t answer his question._

Albus spoke again, "Rose has not caused any sorts of trouble during her stay here. I believe you're just being paranoid, my boy."  


He hated when he called him that.

“ _Headmaster_ ,” Severus hissed out, narrowing his eyes at the man, “I think you’re being far too nonchalant for somebody who may potentially be **_harmful_** to the school.”

His cryptic responses always left Severus feeling absolutely enraged. It was extremely challenging to do his job when the old wizard was so _goddamn_ secretive about **_everything_**. 

“Sir, this could potentially be another Quirrel situation if not handled-”

Albus gave him a pointed look through those half moon glasses of his. He didn't look content anymore. “ _Severus_ ,” his firm tone was all but friendly. 

It was a warning. 

Severus bit his tongue to prevent him from mouthing off. Staring into the other’s light blue eyes, he returned a deadly glare. A moment passed, his jaw clenched tightly to the point he was grinding his teeth. The silence in the room was deafening. 

“I believe you have a class to teach.”

That’s all he needed. He turned on his heel and quickly exited the room, but not before slamming the door on the way out. Light on his toes, he glided down the staircase with ease. He was absolutely _livid_. 

And boy, he did certainly look it. The very few students who walked down the corridors quickly made sure to avoid his gaze and get out the way, not wanting to get in the way of the fuming man who looked on the verge of exploding. 

_The old man was getting on his last nerve_ \- **_how_** could he not believe him? How was he so _adamant _that she was harmless? Everyone had thought Quirrel was harmless and look at what the stuttering fool did.__

How did he expect him to protect that _idiotic Potter boy_ when the old fool seemed to willingly welcome danger with open arms?

 _He was getting absolutely sick of this job._

If Albus didn’t believe him, then he’ll have to take matters into his own hands. He will do _whatever_ it takes to find out-

Severus barely had any time to register the mass that ran right into his chest when he turned the corner. The impact didn’t phase him at all, planted in his spot like nothing even touched him. The other, however, reached out to grab a hold of his arm to steady themselves. 

“Oh gods, I’m _so_ sorry-” Rose frantically tried to apologize, but froze when she looked up and connected eyes with him, “... oh, hello Severus.”

Severus _must_ have been on edge. The anger from his previous conversation with the headmaster _must_ have been coursing through him still. It _must_ have been the way she stared in his eyes through her thick lashes. It _must_ have been the way she was gripping his arm. It _must_ have been the way he still felt the warmth of her hand despite his thick coat.

It was the only excuse he could think of for what he did next. 

In a flash, Rose was against the stone wall of the dark corridor. “Hey, what-!”

“ _Shut up_ ,” he hissed out. “I don’t know what your goal is here-”

“What the hell are you talking about!”

“I said **_shut up_** ,” he snapped, glaring down at her. 

She tried to convince herself that the shiver that went down her spine was from being pinned against the cold stone wall, **_definitely_** not his low, gruff tone. Though, she was thankful he had enough decency to put his hand behind her head so it didn’t hit the wall when he pinned her to it. 

She glared right back stubbornly, but stayed silent. 

“I don’t know what your goal is here,” he repeated, giving her a stern look, “... or what you are hoping to achieve, but I _will_ figure it out- _no matter what it takes_. You may fool Albus, but you **_won’t_** be fooling me.”

_He had such a lovely voice... Even when he was threatening her._

_Oh god, she was staring at his mouth._

_She needed to stop staring at his mouth._

_Oh fuck, he just licked his lips-_

“I’m fooling who- what in the hell are you talking about?!” She countered back, looking everywhere but him. The panic swelling in her chest grew when a tiny voice in her head repeatedly told her; _he knows._

“Don’t act stupid, girl,” he grumbled. “You’ve been acting suspicious the moment you arrived. There’s no such company named Buttersworth Publishing. If you’re going to lie, _at least_ be more clever about it.”

_Fuck._

She was thankful the corridor was dark so he didn’t see her flushed cheeks from being caught in a lie. ( _Definitely not from being at such a close proximity to him._ ) 

“... Are you proud of yourself, Severus? Cornering a defenseless woman in a dark corridor?” She growled out defensively.

He snorted at that. “Somehow, I don’t think you’re all that defenseless,” he said quietly. 

She looked downwards to her feet to avoid his scrutinizing stare, biting her lip anxiously. He wasn’t wrong. It’s not like he was pinning her hands down- her hands were completely free- in fact, one of her hands were still clinging onto his arm from when she ran into him. ( _Her hand was so warm._ ) She had every opportunity to push him away or even hit him if she wanted to. 

But… she didn’t. 

“Where is your wand, Miss Eiders?” 

Her eyes snapped up at him with surprise. A few beats passed before she answered, “... I left it in my room.”

The hesitation in her voice was all Severus really needed as a confirmation. 

_Definitely not a witch._

“Don’t you know it’s rule number one for wizards to keep their wand on them at _all_ times?” He pressed on, raising an eyebrow.

She was such a bad _liar_. 

“... I’m just different.”

_she was absolutely going to get fired._

The confusion that flickered on his face would have made her laugh if it weren’t for the sticky predicament. 

His hand on the side of her head still kept her trapped while the other was still tucked behind her head. ( _Her hair was so soft._ ) A frown on his thin lips, he found himself staring into those gentle eyes, clearly swimming with many thoughts. 

If only he could read them.

“... Severus, I truly don’t know what you believe my, uh, goal is here-”

He barely registered the soft squeeze of his upper arm. 

_Warm._

_She was so warm._

_So soft._

_And she smelled nice._

_Like cinnamon._

_He was staring._

_He needed to stop staring._

“Severus? Are you listening?”

Her small hand lightly pressed against his chest. ( _Why were her hands so warm?_ ) 

Almost as if he was burnt, he jolted away from her quickly and created a good amount of distance between them. A brief look of uncertainty flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced with, surprise, a frustrated glare. She barely noticed the subtle movement of his fidgeting hands at his sides.

“... Don’t forget what I said, Miss Eiders. I **_will_** be watching you,” he said gruffly before he suddenly turned and stormed off, leaving her alone in the dark corridor.

She waited until he was far enough away before releasing the deep breath she was holding. 

“... fuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> severus: dont you know you're supposed to carry your wand at all times  
> rose: im just built different 😈


	5. overwhelming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus wasn’t lying when he said he’d keep an eye on Rose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a longer than my usual chapters because i honestly had no idea where to stop it. (that’s why it took a long time to update too 😔 sorry y’all)

“I _finally_ landed a date with Campbell.”

“Who?”

“The Ravenclaw boy I’ve liked since second year!”

When her friend cocked her head in confusion, she sighed and added, “Blonde, tall, brown eyes, uh, a lil’ awkward lookin’ if I’ll be honest…?”

“Ah, that fella... I remember. He finally asked you out?”

“Hah, no actually-”

“Miss Thompson and Miss Wilson,” Severus sneered at the two girls, “I can hear you two whispering from across the room. Do us all a favour and **_stop_** talking about your _pathetic_ love life.” 

One blushed brightly from being caught while the other lowered their head from embarrassment. “... sorry Professor,” both muttered quietly. 

He had half a mind to take points of their houses, but he deemed their apology to be... _enough._ He turned back to the task at hand; grading the horrible excuse of a potion in front of him. The student beside him was practically shaking with anxiety of what their grade would be. The Potion’s Master stirred the bubbling green liquid in the cauldron and grimaced. 

“Acceptable,” he finally grumbled out. 

Clearly surprised, a smile grew on the student’s face. “Oh, t-thank you sir-!”

“ _Borderline_ acceptable. Do better next time.”

The student deflated.

He moved onto the next student, peering into the cauldron. He stared down into the pot with disgust. The liquid that was far from the colour of what it was supposed to be. A definite fail. 

“... so what were you saying?”

“Oh right, _I_ actually asked him out.”

“Bloody hell, how’d you manage that?”

The two girls that Severus had scolded before had begun whispering to each other again. The wooden ladle in his hand was threatening to snap at his harsh grip. He was about to whip around and shout at the girls again, but then the next thing that came out of Miss Thompson’s mouth had caught his attention. 

“Rose actually convinced me to! Said something like ‘ _we were meant to be_ ’,” the young girl giggled quietly, “... a load of bollocks if you ask me, but I didn’t have much to lose so I did it anyway. Lucky I did, he said yes and now we have a date for the next time we go to Hogsmeade.”

Severus slammed his hand down on the desk, the noise bouncing off the walls of the room. “Detention, the both of you!” He snapped angrily, scowling at the girls.

“B-But Professor-”

“ _20 points from Ravenclaw!_ ” 

They mumbled their apologies, not wanting to anger the professor anymore.

~

It was purely coincidental the next time he saw Rose.

Although he had said he would be watching her, he _did_ still have a job to do. He had been on his way to Pomona’s greenhouse to replenish some of his potion ingredients that had run out, but on the way, he had heard a voice. Her voice. 

“No, no, I _totally_ understand what you mean-”

Who was she possibly talking to? Classes were currently in session. 

He peeked around the corner just enough to see Rose... and a Slytherin student sitting on the ground, leaning their backs against the wall. He recognized the student to be one of his 6th years... He should have been in class right now. 

“But _do_ you understand? Truly? I feel like- like my heart has been ripped out!” The student cried out in frustration. He winced when the sound traveled down the dead silent hallway. 

“Oh _trust me_ , I know all about what you’re feeling,” she smiled softly, placing a comforting hand on his back, “I know you’ll be okay in the end, Peter.”

He seemed to visibly relax at her touch. 

“But will I? She was my everything,” he tried to wipe at his teary eyes, but they just kept coming, “I _loved_ her. S-She said we’d be together forever…”

The boy certainly was dramatic, wasn’t he? 

A soft laugh left Rose’s lips. “... You’re such a sweetheart to believe such a promise like that.”

When he merely sniffled in response, she continued talking, “... love is a _difficult_ thing, Peter. It’s a **_dangerous_** thing, if not careful,” she paused and chose her words carefully, a brief look of annoyance on her features, “She’s a fool for making such a promise like that.”

A heavy silence overtook the two. Severus wondered if he should step in and scold the student for not being in his designated class. He should _scold_ Rose for keeping a student out of class. 

“... I… I know deep down it wouldn’t have lasted forever,” he clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides, “... but it was nice to imagine, ya know? I always dreamed that when I graduate, we would find a nice house and move in together.” He had given up on trying to wipe away the never ending tears. 

Rose nodded in understanding. “You’re still young, you have a _whole_ life ahead of you, a _whole_ world to explore,” she rubbed his back affectionately, “... I know it’s a very stereotypical thing to say, but… there are plenty of fish in the sea.”

He groaned at her clichéd words, putting his face into his hands. “But I thought she was the _one!_ I felt like she was my soulmate.”

A sudden laugh escaped her. “Soulmates? Peter, let me tell you something, there is no such thing as a _soulmate_. Soulmates are a silly concept made up by hopeless romantics,” she waved her hands dramatically in front of her, “The person you’re meant to be with changes _all the time._ ”

Peter peaked through his fingers and looked at her. “Really?” He whispered in a soft voice.

“Absolutely. Don’t worry that pretty lil’ head of yours about love, you’re far too young.” 

“But- But Professor Lockhart told me otherwise. He told me that soulmates _are_ real.”

An irked expression grew on her face before she practically exploded, “That fool hasn’t got a clue on how love works! By the gods, I’m going to beat his ass-“ She stopped herself, taking a deep breath and rubbing her temples momentarily. “... don’t listen to a word Professor Lockhart says, alright?”

Peter simply nodded, wiping his wet face on his sleeves. 

“... you seem very experienced in love, Miss Eiders,” he said quietly. 

“You have no idea,” she responded, flashing him her signature toothy smile. She lifted herself off the ground and dusted off her trousers. She stretched her back out and her joints popped, letting out a satisfied moan at the feeling. “Come along now, I’ve kept you out of class for too long. I’ll walk you,” she hummed softly, holding out her hand to him.

He took her hand and pulled himself up. “... I think I’ve missed the majority of Charms,” he spoke, cracking an attempted smile up at the woman. 

Severus stayed hidden in the shadows, pressed up against the wall, when the duo walked past him. They hadn’t even spotted him. 

“Yeah, Flitwick may have my head for keeping you for so long,” she responded in a joking tone, digging into her back pocket and pulling out that little journal of hers. She flipped to a page and began writing, continuing on with her conversation with the young Slytherin beside her.

He continued to watch the two until they turned a corner so he no longer saw them anymore. 

The journal.

That damned journal.

He _needed_ to see what was in that journal.

~

Severus, being a man who stayed true to his word, was not kidding when he said he would be watching Rose.

So when the Hogsmeade trip had rolled around, Severus, as usual, declined to be a chaperone… But upon hearing that Rose would be going, he quickly changed his mind. 

Unfortunately, keeping watch of her was proving to be far more difficult than anticipated considering his teaching schedule. This would be the perfect opportunity to watch over her. Who knows what kind of mischief the woman would be up to in Hogsmeade.

Minerva was certainly surprised when he came to her and asked to be a chaperone. He never went on these trips, claimed that he _hated_ having to watch these silly children waste their galleons on useless items. When the Transfigurations professor asked why the change, he merely made up an excuse that he wished to shop for potion supplies. 

And now here he was, following the woman throughout Hogsmeade. The moment they arrived, she had practically made a beeline for Honeydukes. Not exactly a suspicious activity, shopping for sweets, but he still watched her nevertheless. 

This was entirely… unethical. Sure, a lot of his methods were unethical if he truly thought about it. But this… even this made him a little uncomfortable. Following her without her knowledge. Hiding in the shadows and watching her. This was borderline _stalking_. He tried to remind himself that this is what he _had_ to do, despite whether it was described as morally incorrect. Whether he was wrong or not about his suspicions, it never hurt to be extra careful.

A quiet sigh left him before he turned his head to look into the shop windows. Rose stood at the register, conversing to the employee with a kind smile on her face. When the employee handed the bag of sweets back to Rose, they brushed hands and the employee visibly got flustered. 

Severus turned his head quickly and looked away, huffing quietly. In the time he has known Rose, he learned she was very much naturally charismatic and charming. It was no surprise that she was a people person. Others found her easy to speak to, it was no doubt that people gravitated to her warm personality. 

Even _he_ had to admit that being under her attention brought a certain feeling to him that he couldn’t quite pinpoint. 

The chime of the shop door brought him out of his thoughts. Rose had walked out, looking rather satisfied with the collection of sweets she bought. Wasting no time, she began walking down the main path. 

And he followed. 

From a distance, of course. He wasn’t an idiot.

And she just kept walking. She admired certain shops from the outside, never going inside, but merely window shopping. Snacking on the occasional toffee from her goodie bag. 

_She was doing what normal people did on a trip to Hogsmeade._

… He was fearing that his suspicions were wrong. Perhaps she _was_ just a normal journalist seeking to write an article about the school. Had he acted upon his paranoia for it to _not_ be true? Was she truly at Hogsmeade _just_ for a shopping trip? Was he wrong and he just treated a completely innocent woman like _shit_ because he felt **_paranoid_**?

Then, she made a sharp turn into an alleyway.

Brow furrowed, he watched in confusion.

Where could she be going?

The only place down that way is...

_No. Absolutely not._

He quickly followed in her footsteps to confirm if he was correct. 

_No fucking way._

Of **_fucking_** course she had to go into the one place in Hogsmeade where he was banned. 

Hog’s Head Inn. 

He spoke far too soon. Perhaps this _wasn’t_ a normal trip to Hogsmeade. Nobody came to the cheap tavern _just_ for the alcohol or for a friendly get-together. Hog’s Head was literally a breeding ground for shady dealings and dodgy meetings, considering how isolated it was and how the owner really didn’t bat an eye at the dubious customers that entered.

What could she _possibly_ need in there?

With a deep sigh, he pulled the hood of the cloak over his head and entered the inn. 

Needless to say, it was as shitty as last time he was here many years ago. The wooden floors were practically unrecognizable underneath all the dirt, hell, you couldn’t even see out of the windows because of how grimy they were. The only thing Severus ever liked about the inn was how secluded it was. Not many entered the bar, far too intimidated by how it looks from the outside. How Aberforth managed to stay in business with little to no customers _and_ a filthy tavern, he had no idea. 

Speaking of Aberforth…

He looked over to behind the bar to see the man himself wiping away at glasses with a dirty rag. Many years have passed since he kicked him out of the establishment but Severus wondered if he would recognize him even with the hood on. 

… He probably shouldn’t have to worry too much. This particular inn had a shady reputation and hooded figures probably come in the regular. This was nothing new. 

“Lu!”

“Rose!”

His eyes snapped to the table at the corner of the room. He watched as Rose was enveloped in a hug by a brown-haired man. 

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, my flower,” the stranger said, a cheeky smile on his face as he slid into one of the wooden chairs. 

_My flower… A lover, perhaps?_

“Oh please, it couldn’t have been that long,” Rose replied with a quiet laugh, taking a seat herself. 

Severus made his way to a table he deemed close enough to overhear their conversation, but far enough away to not draw attention. 

“Here, I brought you some sweets,” she pushed the bag towards him. She glanced around the near empty inn, besides the lone stranger a few tables away and two others at the bar up front. “... I know we agreed to meet in private, but shit, this place is quite literally the definition of _shady._ ”

The man she had called _Lu_ laughed. “Afraid you gon’ get stabbed or something?” 

Rose gave him a disapproving look.

He simply smiled in return, fishing through the bag of sweets. “Quit your worrying, my dear. I chatted up the owner earlier and he said this place was perfectly safe,” he unwrapped a caramel cube and popped it in his mouth.

“By chatting him up, I hope you mean having a _normal_ conversation,” she knew her friend far too well.

“He’s got a hot, gruff thing goin’ on. I’m likin’ it,” Lu smirked in the direction of Aberforth.

“Oh _gross!_ He’s like 80!”

“107 to be exact,” he corrected. 

“That doesn’t make it better, Lu!”

He rolled his eyes. “Oh quit it, you and I both know we’re older than him. I don’t see the problem with it,” he said in a bored tone.

_What?_

_Did he hear that right?_

_Older?_

“Oi, you there.”

Severus looked up to see Aberforth staring at him from behind the bar.

_Shit._

“You gon’ just sit there or buy a drink?”

Relief filled him. He didn’t recognize him.

He was going to shake his head and decline but the older man spoke up again, “Gotta buy _something_ if you wanna stay here.”

A bit of disgruntled mumbling coming from Severus’ end, he eventually nodded. That seemed to suffice for Aberforth because he soon walked over, setting a mug filled with amber liquid down in front of him. Severus, not really caring at the time how much it cost, handed him whatever he fished out of his pockets. 

Aberforth, clearly not having an issue with the obvious overpayment, went back behind the bar without another word.

With no further interruptions, he finally turned his attention back to Rose and her… _companion._ To his annoyance, he had missed a part of their conversation.

“I think you’re overreacting,” Lu hummed, leaning back in the wooden chair and crossing his leg over the other. 

Rose groaned. “Lu, I think I’m actually going to **_explode_** if I have to deal with another child’s love life,” she suddenly leaned forward and put her head on the table. “I can’t believe the boss asked _me_ to do this.”

“It’s because you’re the boss’ favourite,” he said in a matter-of-factly tone, happily consuming the contents in the sweets bag. 

She lifted her head up suddenly and gave him a pointed glare. “Am not!”

“ _Am too_ ,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “The rest of us have to work with boring humans all day, but you? Wizards. Literal wizards. I’m tellin’ ya, favouritism is at play here,” he pointed an accusing finger at her. 

A disappointed look crossed Rose’ features. “I thought maybe it was because I’m trustworthy and great at what I do?” Her tone was questioning, as if unsure her words were even true. 

“Well, if you ask me, I think that’s the reason he likes you so much,” he paused for a moment before giving her a wink, “Besides your smokin’ hot bod.”

She ignored his flirtations, throwing one of the toffee wrappers at him. “What do you mean?”

Like a switch, his flirtatious behavior was gone and was replaced with seriousness. “Rose, in all the time I’ve known you, I have _never_ seen you take a break. You’re a workaholic. Shit, you’re practically married to your job! When was the last time you actually _relaxed?_ ”

Rose cast her eyes to the side to avoid his piercing gaze and remained silent. Her silence was enough of an answer. 

Lu saw how defeated she looked and sighed, feeling somewhat guilty at his bluntness. “... you should really talk to the boss about taking a break. He overworks you too much,” he reached over and patted her hand gently, “Everyone knows the most ideal person to be put on the job would have been _Ergost_ , not you. The boss knows that. I don’t have the faintest clue why he put you on this job.”

“... I know.”

A few beats of silence went by. 

They had begun whispering. 

Severus’ efforts to strain his ear to hear what they were saying were to no avail.

He should go. He _needed_ to go. 

If he stayed any longer, they would begin to suspect him. He’s heard more than enough. 

He began to lift himself out of his seat, but froze when he felt a hand press upon his upper back. 

“Hasn’t anybody told you it’s not nice to eavesdrop, _Professor?_ ”

She was so _close_. He could feel her warm presence behind him, practically pressed up against his back and leaned close to his left ear. If it weren’t for the hood covering his head, he probably would have felt her breath on his neck. Despite her soft, playful tone, the firm hand on his back said otherwise. 

And the barely noticeable shudder that ran through him was **_pathetic_**.

The increase of his heartbeat was nothing more than being caught… or that’s what he tried to tell himself. 

“... I believe I informed you that I would be watching you,” he finally was able to compose himself, finger tapping gently against the full glass mug that he hadn’t even touched. 

“And I already told you that I have no ulterior motive, Severus,” Rose’s hand trailed up to his neck and squeezed gently as a warning, “... Even if I did, that would be none of your business, would it?”

He turned his head a fraction to look at her, quirking an eyebrow. With the edges of her lips turned up into a sweet, though obviously forced smile, she tilted her head at him. He might have found her attempts at intimidation amusing if the situation weren’t so grievous. 

But Severus knew better. There was a certain glint in her eyes that told him not to underestimate her. It reminded him much of the look Minerva gave him at times when he tested her patience. 

“It is completely my business if danger presents itself, Miss Eiders,” he stated quietly, a frown etching his features. 

“I’m no danger, you must understand that,” she responded, hand still resting upon the back of his neck. 

“And you expect me to just _believe you?_ ” He snapped, sneering up at her. 

He didn’t have much time to react; her other hand quickly came up and cupped his chin, forcing him to look up at her. The hood on his head slipping off slightly, she reveled in the surprise in his eyes at her sudden assertion. The irritation clear on her face, she glowered at him. “Must you be so _irritating?_ ”

She was usually so sweet. So kind. So tender. So **_warm_**. Her smile alone- _no_ , her mere _presence_ alone could light up a room. And here she was now. Her patience very much tested. _Oh_ , how the tables have turned. 

Severus knew _very_ well that he could have easily escaped her grip. She wasn’t even being that rough.

_It was more like he didn’t want to pull away._

The sudden change of demeanor, well... he would _never_ admit it, but being under her gaze in such a manner… Merlin, it was _exhilarating._

Severus was _ashamed_ to say he was relishing in the physical contact. 

When was the last time somebody has actually touched him?

Did he mention that she was warm? Because _fuck_ , her warm fingers against his cold skin felt so _good._ He could only imagine what the rest of her felt like. 

With a heavy tension washing over them, he swallowed thickly, Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. Her own eyes briefly flickered to the movement before snapping back up to his eyes. 

_Was she wearing perfume?_

Last time, she had smelt like cinnamon. And now… well, coincidentally, she smelt like roses. 

... Severus was suddenly aware of how _overwhelming_ this was. Her close proximity to _him._ Her warm hands on _him._ Her aromatic scent filling his senses. Being a man who was practically deprived of _all_ types of attention for so long, oh Merlin, it was all **_too much._**

_A familiar feeling was swelling in his chest and he didn’t like it._

He shot up from his seat rather quickly, Rose’s hands dropping from his face in the process. He desperately hoped she didn’t notice the faint blush that grew on his face.

But she did. How could she not notice the colour bloom on those pale, sunken cheeks of his?

A few beats of uncomfortable silence passed until he finally mumbled out a quiet, “... we will discuss this back at Hogwarts.” It sounded more like a request rather than a demand. He then turned on his heel and quickly made his way to the exit. (Not before casting a spiteful glare at her companion, of course.)

Lu and Rose now left alone in the dingy bar, he moved to stand next to her. When she didn’t seem to say anything, Lu decided to break the silence by nudging her arm gently and muttering out a quiet:

“... He likes you, Eros.”

This statement jolted her out of her thoughts. 

_“Shut up, Ludus!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> severus has a crush uwu

**Author's Note:**

> hi folks if there’s any confusion, don’t be afraid to comment. <3 i love you all. i hope everyone has a nice day.


End file.
